Interactive audio-visual work

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for use in conjunction with a book containing intermixed text and symbols, includes a randomly accessible sound storage-and-playback memory having addressable storage locations, and a plurality of actuatable selectors, each selector being associated with a respective symbol corresponding to a symbol in the book. A switch selects between a recording mode of operation and a playback mode of operation. A microprocessor controls recording at respective addressable storage locations in the memory respective sounds produced by the user, the recorder being active during the selected recording mode of operation. The microprocessor controls the playback from the memory of a respective recorded sound, the playback means being actuated by the microprocessor upon actuation of a respective one of the selectors during the selected playback mode of operation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an interactive audio-visual work, andmore particularly to such apparatus for use in conjunction with a bookhaving intermixed text and symbols.

In the field of interactive children's books which are equipped withsupplementary electronic devices, the combination of a book and anassociated prerecorded audio tape or audio record has been the earliestand most popular product. Such systems have been successful children'sproducts for over a decade. The objective of these products is tointroduce young children to reading and to encourage older children toimprove their reading skills, while employing some form of interactivityto make achieving these reading-skill goals both more pleasurable andself-motivating.

More recently, children's books have become available which containintegral electronic devices capable of producing sounds that had beenstored in a digital memory within the device during the manufacturingprocess, either as digitally recorded or synthesized sound. Examples ofsuch books are the SIGHT-N-SOUND books published by Western Publishingand widely available in toy stores and at other merchandisers in theUnited States and elsewhere. In these books, an electronic device isattached to the back cover. This device allows the reader to press anyone of several touchbutton switch areas located on the device, which inturn results in the production of a particular prestored sound, such asthat of a human voice, an animal sound, musical instrument sounds andthe like. When the child reads the book or has the book read to him orher, graphics or colored indications within the text direct the readerto press similarly identified or colored touchbuttons on the device;thereby to reproduce an appropriate, prestored sound to enliven andotherwise enhance the process of reading the book. This specific producthas had substantial commercial success as a result of its realisticreproduction of the stored sounds and its relatively low cost, due tothe use of low-cost speech synthesizer integrated circuits with lowdata-storage requirements per second of sound delivered.

None of the aforementioned electronically-enhanced interactivechildren's books have as yet had the capability to allow the recordingof the reader's voice or reader's selection of these recorded sounds forlater playback during the reading of a book, let alone the capability ofvarying the pitch of the sound being played back or randomizing theresponse, despite the well-recognized fact that children like to heartheir own voices.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provideapparatus for use in conjunction with a book which enables soundsproduced by the user (such as his voice) to be recorded prior to readingthe book so that the recorded sound segments can later be called upselectively and played back during the reading of the book.

Another object is to provide such apparatus herein the previouslyrecorded sounds stored in the apparatus may be altered in pitch orvolume when played back.

A further object is to provide such apparatus wherein the previouslyrecorded sounds stored in the apparatus may be played back in adifferent order from that in which they were recorded and stored.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide such apparatuswhich enables the previously recorded sounds stored in the apparatusaccording to certain logic rules to be played back in response todifferent logic rules.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It has now been found that the above and related objects of the presentinvention are obtained in apparatus according to the present inventionfor use in conjunction with a book containing intermixed text andsymbols. The apparatus comprises a microprocessor (typically with ROM)and a randomly accessible sound storage-and-playback memory havingaddressable storage locations. Disposed on the apparatus are a pluralityof actuatable selectors, each selector being associated with arespective symbol corresponding to a symbol in the book, and means forselecting between a recording mode of operation and a playback mode ofoperation. Also provided are means for recording at respectiveaddressable storage locations in the memory respective sounds producedby the user, the recording means being active during the selectedrecording mode of operation, and means for playback from the memory of arespective recorded sound, the playback means being active uponactuation of a respective one of the selectors during the selectedplayback mode of operation.

In a preferred embodiment, the recording means is active, upon actuationof a respective one of the selectors during the selected recording modeof operation, for recording at a respective memory location therespective sound produced by the user. The playback means, uponactuation of a respective one of the selectors in the selected playbackmode of operation, plays back the sound recorded in a respective memorylocation. The respective recorded sound played back upon actuation ofthe respective one selector in the selected playback mode of operationis generally the same respective sound previously recorded uponactuation of the respective one selector in the selected recording modeof operation.

More particularly, the recording means, upon actuation of a respectiveone of the selectors in the selected recording mode of operation,records the sound produced by the user in a respective memory location,and the playback means, upon actuation of a respective one of theselectors in the selected playback mode of operation, plays back thesound recorded in a respective memory location. Optionally, the playbackmeans, upon actuation of respective one of the selectors in the selectedplayback mode of operation, plays back the sound recorded in a randomlyselected memory location. Thus the apparatus may additionally includemeans (typically in the microprocessor) for determining according to afirst algorithm the respective memory location where the sound producedduring actuation of a given one of the selectors is recorded in theselected recording mode of operation, and according to a secondalgorithm the respective memory location from which the sound will beplayed back in the selected playback mode of operation upon actuation ofthe given one of the selectors.

The first and second algorithms are ordinarily the same, but optionallythe apparatus additionally includes either an actuatable randomizingswitch which, when actuated, causes the second algorithm to differ fromthe first algorithm and to randomly associate respective memorylocations with respective selectors, or an actuatable randomizing switchwhich, when actuated, causes the playback means to playback a randomlyselected respective recorded sound from the memory.

The respective sounds remain recorded in the respective memory locationsuntil new sounds are recorded thereover in the selected recording modeof operation, thereby to enable multiple re-readings of the same textwith the same sounds being produced in the selected playback mode ofoperation.

The apparatus may additionally include an actuatable frequency modifyingswitch which, when actuated, modifies the frequency (pitch) of the soundplayed back by the playback means so that it differs in frequency(pitch) from the sound recorded in the memory. The frequency modifyingswitch is typically user-actuatable. Alternatively, frequencymodification may take place under program control.

The apparatus may further include means for altering the volume level ofselected sounds during playback of sounds recorded in the memory, themeans being under program control.

The apparatus may further include ROM-stored rules for altering therelationships between selectors and selected stored sounds. Specificones of these rules may be invoked by a press of one of the selectors,as directed by text in the book at the beginning. Such a selection willhereafter be referred to as a "functional code" entry.

In a prepared embodiment, the apparatus additionally includes means forreceiving functional codes so that the microprocessor operates accordingto at least one of a plurality of functional algorithms stored in themicroprocessor according to the functional code received. Themicroprocessor may interpret as a functional code actuation ofpredetermined ones of the selectors during the selected recording modeof operation.

The algorithms may cause a change in the pitch or volume of theplayedback sounds. The algorithms may cause specific ones of the memorylocations to be addressed sequentially during the selected playback modeof operation, thereby to concatenate playedback sounds from the specificmemory locations. Finally, the algorithms may control the relationshipbetween the selectors and the respective memory locations during theselected playback mode of operation.

The present invention further encompasses in combination, the apparatusand a children's reading book, a game book, or a puzzle book, eitherwith or without an external ROM unit and/or an external device operatingunder control of the apparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The above and related objects, features, and advantages of the presentinvention will be more fully understood by reference to the followingdetailed description of the presently preferred, albeit illustrative,embodiments of the present invention when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1A is an isometric view of apparatus according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 1B is an end elevational view thereof taken along the line 1B--1Bof FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of the electrical system;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are flow charts showing the control steps taken by theapparatus microprocessor during the selected playback mode of operation;

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the control steps taken by the apparatusmicroprocessor during the selected record mode of operation;

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the initial control steps taken by theapparatus microprocessor of a second embodiment before and during theselected record mode of operation;

FIG. 6A is a simplified circuit diagram of an embodiment of the presentinvention having a plug-in-ROM module attached thereto;

FIG. 6B is a simplified circuit diagram of a modified embodiment of thepresent invention having a plug-in auxiliary microprocessor and a remotedevice attached thereto;

FIG. 7A is an isometric sketch of the apparatus of the present inventionused in connection with a game book; and

FIG. 7B is an isometric sketch of the apparatus used in connection witha puzzle book.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

For the purposes of the present invention, the term "sounds produced bythe user" will encompass not only voice and other sounds which are infact produced by the user, but also voices and sounds produced by othersor naturally occurring, but selected by the user for inclusion as one ofthe selectable recorded sounds. Other sounds, such as handclapping,fingertapping, music from a TV set, radio or other sources may also bestored as selectable sounds.

Referring now to the drawing, and in particular to FIGS. 1A and 1Bthereof, therein illustrated is an apparatus according to the presentinvention, generally designated by the referenced numeral 100. Theapparatus 100 defines along one edge thereof a slot 101 for receipttherein of an edge of a book cover. The apparatus 100 is used inconjunction with a children's reading book 102 containing pages 104,preferably having printed thereon both text 106 and symbols 107intermixed. The symbols 107 may be either large symbols 109 (such aspictures or illustrations) or smaller symbols 108 actually containedwithin a line of text 106. Especially in an apparatus for use by thevery young, the symbols may simply be colors.

While the apparatus 100 is illustrated as attached to the right backcover of book 102 so that the cover edge alone is received in slot 101and the remainder of the apparatus 100 projects outwardly of the pages104, clearly other relative dispositions between the book 102 and theapparatus 100 may be employed. For example, the apparatus 100 mayreceive the bottom edge of the back cover and be disposed substantiallybelow the book 102. The apparatus may extend behind the entire book, ifdesired, rather than just an edge thereof.

As illustrated, the book 102 is releasably received within slot 101 ofapparatus 101 and may be removed therefrom so that the same apparatus100 may be used in conjunction with a multiplicity of different books atdifferent times. Alternatively, however, the book 102 and apparatus 100may be non-releasably fastened together.

The apparatus 100 includes therewithin a microprocessor 1 (IC 1),preferably with ROM, and a randomly accessible soundstorage-and-playback device 2 (IC 2) having addressable memory storagelocations. The apparatus further includes on its upper face a grill 122,behind which are disposed a microphone 10 and a loudspeaker 15, theformer being used to record the sounds produced by the user (e.g., hisvoice) and the latter being used to playback the recorded sounds (e.g.,the voice of the user).

The upper surface of the apparatus 100 additionally defines a pluralityof actuatable selectors 130a, 130b, . . . 130g. While the selectors areillustrated as seven touchbutton switches SW-n where n=1, 2 . . . 7,this is only by way of example. A lesser or greater number of selectors130 may be provided, and the selectors may be in non-pushbutton form,such as a membrane switch matrix. As an alternative example, a rotaryswitch having an appropriate number of detented stops may be providedand surrounded by printed symbols so that the user has only to rotatethe knob or dial of the rotary switch until a pointer thereon is alignedwith an appropriate symbol. The selectors 130a-130g controlcorresponding microswitches 3a-3g of the electrical circuit of apparatus100 illustrated in FIG. 2. Thus the selectors 130 provide the user witha manual input capability during all operating modes of the electronicunit--i.e., during the recording and playback modes as well as duringthe code selection mode, all to be described hereinafter.

Additionally there are two further switches, slide switch 134 andtouchbutton switch 136, representative of functional input switches thatmay be used for such functions as manually selecting the mode ofoperation of the system or randomizing the relationship betweentouchbuttons and stored phrases. In the basic embodiment of the presentinvention illustrated in FIG. 1, record/playback slide switch 134(hereinafter "record switch") acts as a means for selecting between arecording mode of operation R and a playback mode of operation P for theapparatus, each of these modes R, P to be described hereinafter infurther detail. Record switch 134 is switch 3h in FIG. 2. Specialfunction switch 136 is used to provide a surprise or special effect,such as a randomized response, and may be labeled SURPRISE. When closed,switch 136 causes the microprocessor IC 1 to access a randomizingalgorithm resident in microprocessor ROM and randomly select andplayback one of the seven sounds recorded in memory by causing itsaddress to be applied to the appropriate address lines of the soundstorage-and-playback device IC 2. Special function switch 136 is switch3j in FIG. 2.

Finally, the apparatus 100 may additionally include an optional pitchslide switch 132 having three settings indicated by dots 133. Thesetting of switch 132 enables the playback of sounds stored in memory tobe altered in pitch either under control of microprocessor IC 1 (underprogram control) or under user control. Pitch slide switch 132 is SW1 inFIG. 2.

Still referring to FIG. 1, what follows is a typical sequence of actionsin which the reader will participate. After opening book 102 to presentthe first page 104 to the child, the child or an assisting older personwill begin to read the introductory page. The latter may contain a shortstory line in which the reader is directed to move record slide switch134 to the record position R and then to press specified touchbuttonsSW-n (e.g., touchbuttons 130 of a certain color) in a certain sequenceso as to enter the aforementioned functional code. These initialinstructions will be followed by a request to place record switch 134(switch 3h in FIG. 2) into the record position R. The followinginstructions will further guide the reader to begin the recordingprocess by pressing in turn each of the seven colored touchbuttons 130athrough 130g, one at a time, and speak specified words or make suggestedsounds into microphone 10.

The text might direct the child to "say a name, . . . make a funnysound," "make an animal sound," "laugh," and so forth. Each time thechild speaks or makes the sounds (presumably, but not necessarily, thesounds called for by the instructions), the microphone 5 will pick uphis or her voice. This will signal the system microprocessor IC 1 that arecording is to be made, beginning with the initial syllable spoken bythe child. Having switched the system to the record mode (eitherautomatically or in response to record slide switch 134), themicroprocessor IC 1 now directs the sound storage-and-playback device IC2 to record these sounds for a given period of time (say, one second)and store them in memory. The specific steps taken by the microprocessorIC 1 and other electronic components of the system (e.g., IC 2) will bedetailed below in conjunction with a description of the circuit diagramof FIG. 2.

Once the child has responded to all of the instructions on theintroductory page 104 of book 102 and both the functional code and allof required sounds have been electronically stored in the system, thereader places record slide switch 134 in the playback position P andproceeds to the actual story line on the following pages 104 of book102. Each time the text 106 is interrupted by a colored or otherwiseidentified symbol 107, such as a small colored square 108 printed in thegap between two words in the text 106, the reader or the child pressesthe similarly-colored or similarly-identified one SW-n of touchbuttons130. The system will generally respond by reproducing one of the storedsounds or, alternatively, with additional sounds or sounds altered inpitch or volume or in their positional relationship, depending upon thefunctional code initially entered as described above, if such a featureis incorporated into the particular embodiment of the present invention.Alternatively, pitch-shifting during playback of one or more of therecorded sounds may also be controlled manually by switch 132.

Responses to pressing touchbuttons 130a through 130g during the courseof reading the book will be:

a. In the basic operating mode, these sounds will correspond one-for-onewith those recorded for touchbutton presses of the same color during therecord mode described above.

b. In a second operating mode, the functional code-selected ROM-residentalgorithms will randomize or otherwise reallocate the sounds which willbe played back. Such a reallocation may affect all of the touchbuttons130 so that, once the specified function switch 136 is actuated, thesubsequent actuation of any of the touchbuttons 130a through 130g willresult in a specifically altered relationship or an unpredictable one ofthe recorded sounds being played back until a new record mode ofoperation is selected. Alternatively, such a reallocation may beassociated with only a single touchbutton (i.e., the SURPRISE or specialfunction switch 136) so that pressing touchbutton 136 will result in therandom-selection and playback of one of the stored sounds, thussurprising the reader, without varying the sounds later played back uponactuation of one of touchbutton switches 130a-130g.

c. In a third operating mode, which may be concurrent with either thefirst or second mode, the microprocessor may alter the pitch of thereproduced sound whenever a particular one of touchbuttons 130a-130g ispressed. Alternatively, a manual input means such as slide switch 132may be used to alter the pitch up or down, as selected by the reader.

Enhancement of the pleasure derived from playing back sounds previouslyrecorded and stored by the child may result from the alteration of thepitch of the prerecorded sounds so that they are played back with asubstantially different character from those of the recorded sounds.This alteration of pitch may be under the reader's control in responseto a related instruction in the text or in response to a touchbuttonpress or switch closure or it may be the result of ROM-stored algorithmsutilized by the writer to automatically invoke one of several availableoptions resident in ROM-stored algorithms.

The typical sequences described above illustrate the interaction betweenthe child and the book during the preparatory phase, the recording phaseand read-and-playback phase. As can readily be seen, this interactivityboth entertains and stimulates the child into developing a deeperattachment to reading of this and other books.

Referring now to FIG. 2, therein illustrated is a circuit diagram forthe electronic functions of the present invention. There are two majorintegrated circuit devices: microprocessor 1 (IC 1) and soundstorage-and-playback device 2 (IC 2). The additional LM339-typecomparator 5 and field-effect-transistors 4 (FET 4) and 16 (FET 16)constitute all of the active semiconductor components required by thebasic system of the present invention.

The microprocessor IC 1 may be one of the low-cost 4-bit or 8-bit typescurrently in use in many electronic toys and games, such as the typeCOPS 413 available from National Semiconductor. The soundstorage-and-playback IC 2 is preferably a random access memory devicemanufactured by Information Storage Devices, Inc. of San Jose, Calif.,which stores audio-range signals in arrays of analog cells.Alternatively, sound signals may be digitized and stored in (digital)RAM during recording, and played back by delivering the RAM contents toa digital-to-analog converter, as is well-known in the art. Thepreferred ISD device IC 2 permits both recording and playback ofsound-signals to be located in, and retrieved from, memory storagelocations which can be accessed by setting up the appropriate 8-bitaddress on its eight input lines. The two least significant bit (LSB)addresses of IC 2 are tied to ground and not shown in FIG. 2; the sixhigher-order addresses are shown as lines A2 through A7. Thisarrangement allows the microprocessor IC 1 to play sound signals atminimum intervals of one-half of a second, the interval being a functionof the IC 2. Microprocessor IC 1 controls these address-lines viaoutputs A0 through A5, as shown.

Output lines O1, O2 and O3 of microprocessor IC 1 control thePLAYBACK/RECORD function, the POWER-DOWN function and the CHIP-ENABLEfunctions of IC 2, respectively.

Turning now to the remaining input and output terminals ofmicroprocessor IC 1 (located at the left side of the symbol for IC 1 inFIG. 2), these I/O terminals are served by switch matrix 3a through 3hand 3j. The seven switches 3a-3g are actuated with the seventouchbuttons areas 130a through 130g of FIG. 1. Switches 3h and 3j are,respectively, the record slide switch 134 and the special functiontouchbutton switch 136 of FIG. 1. Field Effect Transistor (FET) 4 isconnected across a pair of I/O terminals of IC 1 and controlled bycomparator 5a. It is turned on whenever sound signals reach microphone10 whose positive peak excursions exceed the bias placed on comparator5a by the divider resistors 5b and 5c. When this latter conditionobtains, then comparator 5a turns on FET 4. If this occurs after recordslide switch 134 is closed and one of touchbuttons 130a-130g isdepressed, closing one of switches 3a through 3h, the operating programstored in the microprocessor's ROM starts the one-second record timingperiod referred to above and terminates the record function after theone-second interval is over. It is to be noted that the aforementionedone-second recording interval is cited only by way of example. Otherperiods of time may be used in any commercial embodiment of the presentinvention.

Microphone 10 is biased with several volts obtained from supply Vcc line7. This bias voltage is applied through decoupling resistor 14 and loadresistor 12. Capacitor 13 decouples microphone 10 from power supplynoise signals. Capacitor 11 applies the output signal delivered bymicrophone 10 to the mike input terminal MIC of IC 2. During playback,IC 2 drives a small dynamic permanent magnet (PM) loudspeaker 15 whichis connected to IC 2 terminals 15a and 15b.

Item 17 indicates the presence of a network of passive components forcontrolling the clock frequency of microprocessor IC 1 and thus thepitch of the sounds being played back. This network may be of the R-Ctype or may utilize a ceramic resonator 18, as shown.

Comparator 5d is an IC device which functions as a voltage-controlledR-C oscillator whose output frequency is determined by the values ofresistor 5f and capacitor 5g as well as by the voltage level establishedat the positive input terminal of the comparator by divider resistors5h, 5i, 5j and 5k. Resistors 5h and 5i may be pulled up to Vcc 7 or downto ground, i.e. zero volts, depending upon the condition of IC 1 outputsO7 and O8. The ROM-stored operating program in microprocessor IC 1causes lines O7 and O8 to be HIGH when a higher-than-nominal clockfrequency is desired. Under these operating conditions, storedspeech-segments from sound IC 2 will be reproduced at a higher pitchthan that of the original source signal. If resistor 5h is pulled LOW,then the nominal clock frequency is generated by comparator/oscillator5d. This is the clock frequency used during recording, which is appliedto clock input CLK of IC 2 by means of line 5k. Finally, when bothresistors 5h and 5 i are pulled LOW by their respective microprocessoroutput connections, then the clock frequency will be below nominal,causing the reproduced sounds to have a lower pitch than those of theoriginal source signal.

When the vertically oriented slide switch 132 (FIG. 1) is in the neutralor middle position b, clock oscillator 5d is under control of themicroprocessor IC 1 as described hereinabove. However, when switch 132is manually set to either the higher or lower position a or c, the biasapplied by the resistance network 14a, 14b, 14c will modify thefrequency of oscillator 5d. Thus, when the switch 132 is set to positiona, a fixed bias voltage will be applied by the resistance network 14a,14b, 14c to cause the frequency of oscillator 5d to increase, thusshifting upwardly the pitch of the stored sound segments upon playback.On the other hand, when switch 132 is set to the lower position c, alower bias voltage is applied to oscillator 5d to cause the frequency tobe lowered, thus shifting downwardly the pitch of the stored soundsegments upon playback.

Amplified sound signals are delivered by IC 2 directly to loudspeaker 15through output lines 15a and 15b. Resistor 15c is connected in serieswith line 15b and lowers the volume produced by loudspeaker 15. Resistor16a is connected to the gate of FET 16. When microprocessor IC 1 raisesoutput line 09 HIGH, FET 16 turns on and causes resistor 15c to beeffectively shorted out. This raises the amount of signal supplied toloudspeaker 15, thus increasing its volume. It can readily be seen thatthe use of two FET devices and two resistors of different values wouldallow the system to play back sounds at three different loudness levels;in this fashion, the system can reproduce sounds at nominal levels, at"whispering" levels and at "shouting" levels.

Referring now to FIG. 3A and 3B, therein illustrated are simplifiedflowcharts of the functional steps taken by the microprocessor IC 1 inthe system of the present invention when the microprocessor has beensignaled to place the system into the record mode. As described above,this occurs when the record slide switch 134 of FIG. 1 (controllingswitch 3h of FIG. 2) is closed (i.e., moved to the R position) and whensignal input is concurrently delivered by the microphone 10, thusturning on FET 4 (FIG. 2). (It will be noted here that in anotherembodiment of the present system (see FIG. 5), the microprocessor willautomatically recognize when the RECORD mode is called for and does notrequire initiation by slide switch 134.) If present, these conditionsare detected by the microprocessor IC 1 while it is polling its I/Oterminals. This polling process goes on continually and is part of theROM-based operating system.

A recording sequence begins with the sliding by the reader of the recordslide switch 134 corresponding to switch 3h (see Diamond 31) to therecord mode of operation R (thereby closing switch 3h ). The resultantswitch closure is recognized by the microprocessor IC 1. The programthen checks to see if a touchbutton switch 130 (SW-n on FIG. 2) has beenselected (see Diamond 32) and, if not, waits for such a selection. Aftersuch a selection is made, the program then checks whether voice signalsare present, i.e., whether there is output from the microphone 10 (seeDiamond 33), and, if not waits for such sounds. When such sounds aredetected, FET 4 conducts, thereby shorting the I/O terminals O6 and I4to which it is connected.

The program now proceeds to set those of address lines A2-A7 HIGH asrequired (A/R) which correspond to the addresses assigned to theselected SW-n of the seven touchbuttons 130a-g. By way of example, thiswould cause the A3 line to go HIGH if the starting address were to be atthe one-second starting location of IC 2. Next the program goes througha POWER DOWN (PD) cycle required by IC 2 to latch in the new addresses(see Block 34). Following that, the program causes the microprocessor tohold the CHIP ENABLE (CE) line LOW for exactly one second (see Block 34,Diamond 35 and Block 36). When this line goes HIGH, the recordingfunction is terminated even though additional voice input may be presentat the microphone 10. Readers must learn to fit their words or soundsinto the required one-second time-slot or trailing parts of the soundswill be cut off.

The program now returns to monitoring the switch-closure of the recordslide switch 134 and the simultaneous closure of another SW-n of theseven touchbuttons 130. When this is detected, the above-detailedprogram steps shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3A and 3B are repeated.

This concludes the description of program steps occurring during therecord function of the system of the present invention.

Referring now to FIG. 4, therein illustrated is a flowchartrepresentative of what takes place during typical playback cycles. Toenter the selected playback mode of operation, slide switch 134 (switch3h of FIG. 2) is moved to the playback mode P (see FIG. 1). Playback isoriginated by pressing one SW-n of the seven colored touchbuttons 130(corresponding to switches 3a-3g in FIG. 2), as instructed by the textof the book. Once the program has detected the presence of a particulartouchbutton switch closure SW-n (see Diamond 41), it causes themicroprocessor IC 1 to set the desired starting address lines A2-A7 HIGHas required (A/R) so as to determine which of the stored sound segmentswill be played back. Following that action, the POWER DOWN (PD) line ispulsed HIGH, thereby to insert the new address into sound chip IC 2.Finally, the CHIP ENABLE (CE) line is pulsed LOW to start delivery ofthe sound segment to the loudspeaker 15. Sound (see Block 42) isproduced by the loudspeaker 15 and terminates at the end of one second(see Block 43); in the example given here; at that point, there is a 25msec wide negative going pulse delivered by an output of sound IC 2 notshown in FIG. 2. This pulse may be utilized to inform the processor thatsound has ceased in cases where the program calls for concatenatingseveral sound segments.

If the special function touchbutton 136 is pressed (see FIG. 1), arandom algorithm resident in ROM is accessed during Block 42 of FIG. 4.This algorithm will randomly deliver one of seven valid addresses toaddress lines A2 to A7. As a result any one of the seven stored soundsmay be played back during this step. Alternatively, the apparatus 100may be programmed so that pressing of special function touchbutton 136does not itself cause the playback of any sound but merely the use of anew algorithm for associating a recorded sound (i.e., an addressablememory storage location) with a touchbutton SW-n. Thus when atouchbutton SW-n is then pressed, the sound which is played back may beany of the seven sounds recorded in connection with one of thetouchbuttons 130. This type of randomized response to selection of aparticular pushbutton 130 would continue until the apparatus were againplaced in the record mode of operation R and new sounds were recordedand stored in the appropriate memory locations.

Referring now to FIG. 5, therein illustrated is a flowchartrepresentative of a second embodiment of the present invention whichdispenses with pitch slide switch 132 and record slide switch 134 of thebasic embodiment of FIG. 1. In this embodiment, all of the functionsthat may be assigned to these two switches are handled automaticallyunder program control by the microprocessor.

The flowchart describes the procedure followed by the systemmicroprocessor IC 1 after the electronic unit of the apparatus of thepresent invention is first turned on. POWER ON is confirmed by a beepdelivered by IC 2 under program-control by the microprocessor IC 1 (seeBlock 51). This beep informs the reader that the system is ready forfurther inputs. The reader then keys in the functional code described onthe introductory page of the story book. For example, he or she might beasked to press one of the RED, BROWN or GREEN touchbuttons 130. Themicroprocessor IC 1 stores this functional code and uses it to determinewhich of the algorithms shown in Blocks 54, 55 56 or 57) are applicableto this particular book (see Block 52). These four rules or algorithmsare stored in a look-up table located in ROM along with theircorresponding codes and numerous additional rules not cited here for thesake of brevity. Having fetched the appropriate algorithm in accordancewith Block 53, the microprocessor then sets the related programvariables such that the action indicated in Blocks 54, 55 56 or 57occurs when presses of the specified colored touchbuttons 130 areexecuted by the reader.

For example, if the code caused Block 54 to be operative, then if theGREEN touchbutton is subsequently pressed twice in a row, the pitch ofthe reproduced sound resulting from the second button press will bedelivered at a lower then normal pitch. Again by way of an example, ifthe code caused Blocks 55 to be operative, then if the RED touchbuttonis subsequently pressed, the pitch of the reproduced sound is raisedwith respect to the pitch at which it was recorded. As a furtherexample, if the code caused Block 56 to be operative, then if the BLUEtouchbutton is subsequently pressed, the corresponding sound segment isreproduced twice, i.e., it is repeated. Finally, by way of example, ifthe code caused Block 57 to be operative, then if the ORANGE touchbuttonis subsequently pressed, then the sound segments associated with theORANGE, GREEN and BROWN touchbuttons are concatenated, i.e., played backsequentially, perhaps forming a short sentence or a longer soundsequence.

It will be appreciated that a particular functional code may select oneor more algorithms for use, if desired.

After the related program variables have been set so that the rules ofBlocks 54, 55, 56 and/or 57 are operable in response to specific coloredtouchbutton presses, a beep is sounded to indicate a valid entry thereof(see Block 58) or a razz sound is emitted to indicate an invalid entry(see Block 59), with the system then returning to Block 53 for a validentry. After the sounding of the beep to indicate a valid entry, theapparatus is switched to the record mode (see Block 60) and commences tostore sounds for each SW1-SW7 of the touchbutton selectors 130, forexample, as illustrated in FIG. 3 (see Block 61). However, to expeditematters, the system may simply actuate each of the touchbuttonsselectors SW1 . . . SW7 in turn with appropriate pauses therebetween forrecording of the sounds produced by the user. The appropriate sound tobe made by the user may be prompted by the microprocessor IC 1 causingthe sound chip IC 2 to issue vocal prompts, such as "make a sound" orindicating which of the touchbutton selectors is active at a giveninstant (for example, by a flashing light adjacent such touchbuttonswitch SW-n).

It will be appreciated that in the embodiment of FIG. 5 the on/offswitch itself (not shown) acts as a means for selecting between therecording mode and playback mode, and the apparatus 100 automaticallyselects the recording mode when the apparatus is initially turned on.

In a more sophisticated and hence more expensive embodiment, themicroprocessor may be initialized and individualized during the act ofattaching a particular book 102 to electronic apparatus 100. The book102 may include on the portion of the cover inserted into the apparatus100 a code (such as a digital code in the form of a printed bar code ora magnetic strip containing the encoded information which is sensed by abar code reader in the apparatus 100) for selecting the particularalgorithms stored in the microprocessor ROM which the writer wishes touse in the authoring of the story, thereby enabling the writer toproduce the special effects described above. While this moresophisticated embodiment avoids any need for the reader to manuallyenter an initializing code into the microprocessor through the use oftouchbuttons 130 (pursuant to instructions located at the beginning ofthe story book), it also requires mechanical/electronic code-readingmeans, thereby increasing its cost and complexity.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are simplified schematic diagrams illustrating theextension of the previously described embodiments of the presentinvention to embodiments designed to allow the system to interface toexternal apparatus.

Referring now to FIG. 6A, this external apparatus is in the form of aplug-in-ROM cartridge 70 with a ROM-and-interface circuits 70a which canbe connected to the I/O bus 1a of microprocessor IC 1 via connectormeans 1b and 70b in the manner of video-game plug-in-ROM gamecartridges. The addition of an external ROM to the system of the presentinvention allows the system to become plug-in-programmable, therebygreatly increasing the capabilities of the system. For example, theadditional ROM allows the storage of a large look-up table extending thenumber of acceptable input codes and their related functions, asdetailed in connection with FIG. 5. Furthermore, the additional ROMallows storage and utilization of a large number of sound effects,musical tone sequences, voice messages and the like which can be usedunder processor control to signal actions to be taken by the reader, or,to provide a musical background related to the section of the book beingread, again much in the manner of modern programmable video-games. Thesesounds are produced by microprocessor IC 1 and reproduced by the systemspeaker 15 via a multiplexing input on IC 2 (not shown).

In summary, use of the plug-in-ROM cartridge can greatly extend thecapabilities of the basic apparatus. Use of such a cartridge, or the useof additional on-chip ROM built into microprocessor IC 1, provides greatflexibility to the authors of story lines for this form of interactivechildren's books.

Referring now to FIG. 6B, the interface connections between systemmicroprocessor 1 and its I/O lines la to external apparatus 72 and itsinterface 72a are similar to those of FIG. 6A. The external apparatus 72includes two major elements: (a) electronic control unit 74 whichcontains microprocessor 75 or, alternatively, an ASIC or discretecomponent electronic circuitry; and (b) a remote device 76.Microprocessor 75 provides one-way or two-way communication and controlto and from microprocessor IC 1 and to and from remote device 76. It mayalso contain some ROM (whether internally within the microprocessor 75,or externally by way of one or more ROM devices external to themicroprocessor 75. Remote device 76 may be any apparatus, regardless ofcomplexity, including an audio or video player for tape or compact disc.

By way of example, remote device 76 may be a simple light bulb whichlights up under processor control as a function of predeterminedalgorithms resident in the ROM of either microprocessor IC 1 ormicroprocessor 75. As a further example, remote device 76 may be a motorwhich is turned on and off under program control. This motor, in turn,might drive pictorial displays or be part of an optical projector usedto show slide-pictures related to the text being read and so forth.Alternatively, remote device 76 might be an infra-red transmitterdirecting digitally-encoded beams to still further external devices (notshown) to provide remote control for motorized vehicles, a small plasticairplane (whose motor-driven propeller is activated at appropriatepoints of the story line), and other forms of electronic toys. Thelatter may be sold either separately from the apparatus of the presentinvention or together therewith as a combination product.

By way of still another example, remote device 76 may be an audio tapeplayer whose functions are under the control of microprocessor 75 andthereby allows turning the player on and off under program control ofmicroprocessor IC 1 and thus permitting the delivery of additionalsounds (including lengthy musical presentations) whenever the text ofthe book being read calls for such an audio accompaniment. This isreadily achieved if the functional code entered into the system leadsthe system microprocessor IC 1 to appropriate elements in the look-uptable referred to above. The resultant product derived from thisembodiment of the present invention can be characterized as a novel formof the Book-and-Tape products currently popular with small children. Theinteraction between the main apparatus of present invention and theaudio tape player 76 may introduce complementary voices, singing,instrumental music and the like into the reading process and thusgreatly expands the scope of the interactive experience for the childreader.

While the apparatus of the present invention has been described for usein conjunction with a reading book 102, clearly the principles of thepresent invention also apply when the apparatus is used in combinationwith a puzzle book 80 (as illustrated in FIG. 7A) or a game book 82 (asillustrated in FIG. 7B). For example, the puzzle book 80 may ask thereader to locate an elephant in a picture and then press the touchbutton130 having a particular association therewith, such as the same color asthe color of the elephant's trunk or a representation of an elephant'strunk thereon. The game book 82 of FIG. 7B is equipped with a fold-outgameboard 83 connected to book 82 by hinge 83a. Board game graphics 83ballow placing markers on board 82 in the manner of ordinary board games.Game rules determine the interaction between electronic unit apparatus100 and the game. For example, landing a marker on certain spaces maycall for pressing a similarly-colored touchbutton to obtainpreviously-recorded sound effects. Use of the capabilities of theelectronic unit apparatus 100 and of the features and capabilities ofthe present invention allows the puzzles, quizzes or games to havedifferent content and outcome each time they are replayed. This resultsprimarily from the fact that the reader can store different sounds eachtime he or she replays the puzzle or game, and because both puzzles andgames can be randomized via ROM-stored algorithms as is well-known inthe electronic game art.

To summarize, the present invention provides apparatus for use inconjunction with a book which enables sounds produced by the user to berecorded prior to reading the book, so that the recorded sound segmentscan later be called up selectively and played back during reading of thebook. The previously recorded sounds stored in the apparatus may bealtered in pitch when played back and may be played back in a differentorder (e.g., in a random order) from that in which they were recordedand stored, with the previously recorded sounds being stored in theapparatus according to one logic rule and played back in response to adifferent logic rule (e.g., randomly).

To introduce still further entertainment or motivational variety intothe process of reading a children's book, in one embodiment of thepresent invention a digital code is transmitted to the microprocessorduring the act of mechanically attaching a particular book 102 to theelectronic apparatus 100. This code may be in the form of a printed barcode used to invoke the particular ROM-stored algorithms which thewriter wishes to use in the authoring of a story, thereby enabling thewriter to produce the special effects described above. Alternatively,the reader may manually enter a code into the microprocessor by pressingone or more of the touchbuttons 130 in accordance with instructionslocated at the beginning of each storybook 102. This embodiment has theadvantage of requiring no external mechanical or electronic code-readingmeans with their attendant cost and complexity.

The flexibility resulting from the above-mentioned features allowschanging of many parametric relationships. Thus, it is possible, forexample, to give multiple touchbutton presses a specific purpose (e.g.,the concatenation of two stored sound segments so that short sentencescan be "spoken"), or certain touchbuttons can be assigned stilldifferent functions at different times. This gives great flexibility tothe writer of the story book insofar as it permits the writer to createscenarios that are fresh and different from book to book.

The variety of interactive effects achievable with the present inventionmay be increased still further if a microprocessor is chosen which canbe interfaced to external ROM devices, thereby enabling the system toutilize plug-in cartridges containing ROM in the manner of plug-in-ROMprogrammable video games. A further extension of the capabilities of thepresent invention contemplates uses of the aforementioned interface ofthe microprocessor to control an external audio or video tape or CDplayer, thereby enabling the creation of forms of book-and-playerembodiments of the present invention. Alternatively, the microprocessormay be used to control external electronic or electromechanical devicesduring the reading of the book where these devices have somerelationship to the story line.

Additionally, the system of the present invention may be used with bookscontaining puzzles and fold-out gameboards to further enhance the levelof interactivity between the child reader and the system.

Now that the preferred embodiments of the present invention have beenshown and described in detail, various modifications and improvementsthereon will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art.Accordingly, the spirit and scope of the present invention is to beconstrued broadly and limited only by the appended claims, and not bythe foregoing specification.

We claim:
 1. Apparatus for use in conjunction with a book containingintermixed text and symbols, said apparatus comprising:(A) amicroprocessor; (B) a randomly accessible sound storage-and-playbackmemory having addressable storage locations; (C) a plurality ofactuatable selectors, each selector being associated with a respectivesymbol corresponding to a symbol in the book; (D) means for selectingbetween a recording mode of operation and a playback mode of operation;(E) means for recording at respective addressable storage locations insaid memory respective sounds produced by the user, said recording meansbeing active during the selected recording mode of operation; and (F)means for playback from said memory of a respective recorded sound, saidplayback means being active upon actuation of a respective one of saidselectors during the selected playback mode of operation.
 2. Theapparatus of claim 1 wherein said recording means is active, uponactuation of a respective one of said selectors during the selectedrecording mode of operation, for recording at a respective memorylocation the respective sound produced by the user.
 3. The apparatus ofclaim 1 wherein said playback means, upon actuation of a respective oneof said selectors in the selected playback mode of operation, plays backthe sound recorded in a respective memory location.
 4. The apparatus ofclaim 2 wherein the respective recorded sound played back upon actuationof said respective one selector in the selected playback mode ofoperation is generally the same respective sound previously recordedupon actuation of said respective one selector in the selected recordingmode of operation.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 additionally including anactuatable frequency modifying means which, when actuated, modifies thepitch of the sound played back by said playback means so that it differsin frequency from the sound recorded in said memory.
 6. The apparatus ofclaim 5 wherein said frequency modifying means includes a switch whichis user-actuatable.
 7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said frequencymodifying means is actuatable under program control.
 8. The apparatus ofclaim 1 wherein said recording means, upon actuation of a respective oneof said selectors in the selected recording mode of operation, recordsthe sound produced by the user in a respective memory locationassociated with said one selector.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8 whereinsaid playback means, upon actuation of a respective one of saidselectors in the selected playback mode of operation, plays back thesound recorded in a respective memory location associated with adifferent one of said selectors.
 10. The apparatus of claim 8 whereinsaid playback means, upon actuation of respective one of said selectorsin the selected playback mode of operation, plays back the soundrecorded in a randomly selected one of said respective memory locations.11. The apparatus of claim 9 additionally including means fordetermining according to a first algorithm the respective memorylocation where the sound produced during actuation of a given one ofsaid selectors is recorded in the selected recording mode of operation,and according to a second algorithm the respective memory location fromwhich the sound will be played back in the selected playback mode ofoperation upon actuation of said given one of said selectors.
 12. Theapparatus of claim 11 wherein said first and second algorithms determinethe same memory locations.
 13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein saidsecond algorithm determines a randomly selected one of said respectivememory locations.
 14. The apparatus of claim 11 additionally includingan actuatable randomizing switch which, when actuated, causes saidsecond algorithm to differ from said first algorithm and to randomlyassociate respective memory locations with respective selectors.
 15. Theapparatus of claim 11 additionally including an actuatable randomizingswitch which, when actuated, causes said playback means to playback arandomly selected respective recorded sound from said memory.
 16. Theapparatus of claim 1 additionally including means for receivingfunctional codes.
 17. The apparatus of claim 16 whereby saidmicroprocessor operates according to at least one of a plurality offunctional algorithms stored in said microprocessor according to thefunctional code received.
 18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein one ofsaid algorithms causes a change in the pitch of said playedback sounds.19. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein one of said algorithms causes achange in the volume of said playedback sounds.
 20. The apparatus ofclaim 17 wherein one of said algorithms causes specific ones of saidmemory locations to be addressed sequentially during said selectedplayback mode of operation, thereby to concatenate playedback soundsfrom said specific memory locations.
 21. The apparatus of claim 1wherein one of said algorithms controls the relationship between saidselectors and said respective memory locations during said selectedplayback mode of operation.
 22. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein saidmicroprocessor interprets as a functional code actuation ofpredetermined ones of said selectors during said selected recording modeof operation.
 23. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said recorded soundsremain in said respective memory locations despite temporary removal ofpower from said memory.
 24. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein saidrespective sounds remain recorded in said respective memory locationsuntil new sounds are recorded thereover in the selected recording modeof operation, thereby to enable multiple re-readings of the same textwith the same sounds being produced in the selected playback mode ofoperation.
 25. In combination, the apparatus of claim 1 and a children'sreading book.
 26. In combination, the apparatus of claim 1 and a gamebook.
 27. In combination, the apparatus of claim 1 and a puzzle book.28. In combination, the apparatus of claim 1 and an external ROM unit.29. In combination, the apparatus of claim 1 and an external deviceoperating under control of the apparatus.
 30. Apparatus for use inconjunction with a book containing intermixed text and symbols, saidapparatus comprising:(A) a microprocessor; (B) a randomly accessiblesound storage-and-playback memory having addressable storage locations;(C) a plurality of actuatable selectors, each selector being associatedwith a respective symbol corresponding to a symbol in the book; (D)means for selecting between a recording mode of operation and a playbackmode of operation; (E) means for recording at respective addressablestorage locations in said memory respective sounds produced by the user,said recording means being active upon actuation of a respective one ofsaid selectors during the selected recording mode of operation; (F)means for playback from said memory of a respective recorded sound, saidplayback means being active upon actuation of a respective one of saidselectors during the selected playback mode of operation; and (G)microprocessor means for determining according to a first algorithm therespective memory location where the sound produced during actuation ofa given one of said selectors is recorded in the selected recording modeof operation, and according to a second algorithm the respective memorylocation from which the sound will be played back in the selectedplayback mode of operation upon actuation of said given one of saidselectors;said respective sounds remaining recorded in said respectivememory locations until new sounds are recorded thereover in the selectedrecording mode of operation, thereby to enable multiple re-readings ofthe same text with the same sounds being produced in the selectedplayback mode of operation.